Mills and Grinders for Cider
The terms Mill, Grinder, and Shredder are often used interchangeably when it comes to equipment used to break down apples and pears for making cider; however, there are distinctions between these machines.
Historically, “mill” referred to the whole system of equipment used to create cider; whereas the “grinder” was the part of that system that turned the fruit into a pulp. Traditionally, this was done with rotating blades and/or crushing rollers (like a grape crusher). More modern / commercial grinders actually use something called a hammer mill, which uses a pair or set of stainless-steel impellers spinning at high speeds to break down the fruit into smaller chunks that are then forced through a cutting screen.
Shredders are almost a combination between the traditional grinder and a hammer mill, often employing a serrated disc (like a saw blade) and knife blades to cut and shred dry or stringy products before they reach the impellers.
Grinders can either be standalone units or combined with a washing elevator for a continuous production line.
